Judge Dredd is by far one of the most underrated comic book characters out there today. If there’s one thing that we can all agree on, it’s that Judge Dredd is the ultimate badass. With Hollywood going wild on comic book adaptations, many of us had our fingers crossed that Dredd would be not only be a great film but a financial success as well. Whereas Dredd was indeed a critical success, pleasing a legion of fans and casual moviegoers alike, unfortunately it wasn’t a financial one. With a sequel looking unlikely (despite a phenomenal push through the Make A Dredd Sequel Campaign) many of us now cling onto the hope that a series maybe made in the future. We at PeelTheOrange, love Judge Dredd and here are some of the reasons why:
‘With the dominance of Marvel and DC saturating the market …’
With the dominance of Marvel and DC saturating the market, 2000AD tends to be overlooked in more ways than one. With such a great catalogue of characters including Rogue Trooper, ABC Warriors and Robo-Hunter to name a few it’s surprising how there’s so little attention to its characters outside of its publication. However we’re here to talk about one man and one man only … Old Stoney face himself, Judge Dredd. A character that represents our worst fears. A character who represents the rule of the law. A character who embodies the many facets of fascism. A character who has no issue in dishing out cruel, hard, justice.
It’s really quite hard to put into words as to why I love Judge Dredd. There are just so many reasons! One of them being Mega City One. A dystopian city full of catastrophes, corruption, crowded city blocks and mutant freaks. A city that has crime around every corner and a population that thrives then dwindles. A city that has some of the harshest laws known to man (and mutant) such as coffee being banned as an illegal stimulant or the possession of sugar being illegal. A city where littering can get you a month in the iso-cubes. Mega City One is an exaggeration of our own world. A world where the government tries to ludicrously control its inhabitants. .
Another reason why I love Judge Dredd is the stories. Satirical, political, relevant, hard hitting and laugh out loud funny. The quality of the stories are always at the highest standard and the writing is so sharp that you’ll always finish a comic feeling satisfied. Many of the best writers and artists in the industry have came from 2000AD, and chances are, they’ve probably contributed to the history of Judge Dredd. You see, Judge Dredd doesn’t have an erratic continuity that gets rebooted every few years. It has a rich history where you’ll see the results of catastrophic events from both sides. There’s no reset button, only consequences and that’s what makes the world of Dredd so interesting. Especially when events parallel the ones that are happening in the real world.
I could ramble on and on with the many reasons as to why I love Judge Dredd however I won’t bore you. I just advise each and every one of you to buy the comics and indulge yourself in the lore of Dredd. With the 2012 movie being a true representation of the comics one can only hope that we’ll see a continuation through the silver screen or the TV screen. Until then however, we’ll just have to do with the comics. – Jonathan Edwards
‘Dredd is a movie that makes me happy …’
Dredd is a movie that makes me happy, consistently. This is a weird fact, given that it is an ultra-violent action movie about a run-down post apocalyptic world, and there are lots of drugs and guns and dead folks; but, a fact it is. As someone who was taken to the film with zero knowledge of the comic, I was blown away by just how good this movie was, and how the world sucks you in and leaves you gasping for more. Wanting a sequel was mandatory, which is why I joined the Bring Back Dredd movement in the first place.
And here’s the crux of what Dredd means to me, and why it’s a pick-me up for when I’m feeling blue. Beyond a great film, Dredd has really opened doors for me, and through a great community of fans, has brought me to be writing for this site. It’s just a movie, but what it has brought me is more than I would have imagined. It’s been a fun ride so far, and I am grateful – Sylvia Maixner
‘For me, Dredd is a useful definition of what it is to be British.’
For me, Dredd is a useful definition of what it is to be British. I grew up reading tales crafted by immensely talented British writers and artists, all shining a light on what they felt was hazardous and wrong with society. The direction humanity was going in. The problems and missteps that it might face.
But the way these visionaries went about it was clever. It was no outright piss-take, no sermonising and cautionary tale. It was to take societies, hit them with an unending supply of chaos and problems (often made by their own hand), and make the people tear themselves apart trying to retain what they had.
And at the center of this was the most rigid and inflexible police officer that literature has ever known. He is the city’s constant, the unyielding and unbending yardstick by which all citizens must live their lives.
The sarcasm and satire were thick and fast. The artwork was colourful and chaotic. And amidst all this insanity, Joe Dredd. Old Stoney Face. Hated for not being able to adapt and change, but surviving and countering all that this cruel world had to throw at him.
For me, Dredd was about the epics. Necropolis. Judgement Day. Inferno. Judgement for Dredd. Day of Chaos. And not so much for the disasters themselves, more the run up to them. As the agents of MC1’s destruction moved freely through her streets. Tantalisingly out of reach of the Judges.
The destruction is always sadly inevitable. But en route to it, it will permeate every level of this flawed society, corrupt all of her citizens, and then break like a wave against the stone-like countenance of her lawkeeper. These people resent their order, but turn to it in times of chaos. Exposing their deep need for it again and again. – Simon Andrews
‘When I saw the commercial for Sylvester Stallone …’
When I saw the commercial for Sylvester Stallone playing a superhero judge, I was stoked. But no way would my parents let me see a rated R movie. Twenty years later, I still haven’t had the chance to see it. I curse my parents. But it sounds like they may have saved me from something.
We now live in an age full of remakes and comic book movies. When the Dredd remake was announced, I became stoked again. But would it be as great if I hadn’t watched the original? The answer to that was “yes!” Because you see, this wasn’t actually a remake, but a true interpretation of the comic book.
Though there hasn’t been a sequel just yet, Dredd has found itself a cult following. Many fans have rallied for more. The most popular of those rallies have been from a site that I’ve acquired a writing gig with. Such petition has landed at the feet of 2000 AD, the magazine that publishes the Judge Dredd comic strips, and even Karl Urban, Dredd himself.
But here’s what I’m asking: since Judge Dredd has become a staple in pop culture, not only in Britain where he originated but especially here in the States, will we eventually start to see other strips from 2000 AD brought to life? Superman and Batman gave way to Flash and Green Arrow. Spider-Man and X-Men brought on Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America. Will we eventually get to see a Dan Dare: Pilot of the Future movie or TV show? Now that would be pretty wild to see. – Allen Lyons
‘I was 13 when Judge Dredd was released …’
I was 13 when “Judge Dredd” was released on video. My father didn’t really do theaters, so we got most of our movies from a little store called Movie Lane. I was raised on action and sci-fi flicks, and I thought this one would be right up my alley.
Boy, was I wrong. While I was fascinated by the world the Judges inhabited, even as a kid, I could see how horribly cheesy it was. Plastic armor? Plastic *villains?* Terrible dialogue…….and who invited Rob Schneider?
While I grew up reading comics, I only had access to my brother’s collection, which was pretty much all Marvel and Image. So I had never read an issue of 2000AD.
Fast forward to 2012. I was excited for “Dredd” for exactly one reason – I am an unabashed fangirl for Karl Urban. I’ll watch him in anything. It was while looking for updates on this newest project of his, that I saw just what an awesome film was being made. I remembered how fascinated I was with the world of Mega-City One, and thought about how much potential this film could have. Suddenly, I was looking forward to the movie for its own sake.
And I wasn’t disappointed. My husband and I had to travel about an hour to find a theater that was playing it, and it was worth the drive. From the first frame to the last, it was so action-packed, so unique, so violently beautiful that I was entranced. And the character of Dredd himself. Everything is so black and white with him. You are either right or wrong, innocent or guilty, a citizen or a perp. He is so relentlessly dedicated to his mission. And yet, even as the living embodiment of the law, he is human enough to be conflicted, to question whether his convictions are truly right. I still hold out hope for a sequel.
Since then, I’ve made an effort to get familiar with the source material. I’ve read 2000AD online, several collected volumes, and novelized versions of Dredd’s adventures. And I will keep following his tales as long as they’re being told. – Jennifer Huneycutt
What does Dredd mean to you? Sound off below!